Thyme, oregano and fenugreek pork fillet with tzatziki, tomato and onion salad 123

“I started using fenugreek after visiting Turkey a few years ago. I had it with cured fish and was blown away. In recent years I have experimented a lot with fenugreek seeds and have included them in stews, marinades and, of course, curing pastes. In Crete, oregano, salt and pepper are mostly used for grilled meats. The addition of hot and aromatic spices is not very common. I added some fenugreek powder to this simple seasoning and I must say that I will never cook pork on the grill without it again.

Here, it’s pan-fried with a touch of olive oil.”

Serves 4

EASY

GREAT VALUE

Preparation: 15 minutes, plus 30 minutes’ standing time Cooking: 45 minutes

pork fillet 500 g extra virgin olive oil, if pan-frying I prefer to cook the fillet on a charcoal grill; the flavour is better when you use fire”

For the spice mix: dried thyme 1t dried oregano 1t black pepper 1t

Turkish chilli flakes 1t ground fenugreek 1t smoked hot paprika 1t sea salt, to taste (be generous)

For the tzatziki: cucumber 1, grated on the coarse side of a box grater and salted

Greek yoghurt 200 g garlic 2 cloves, crushed into a paste with a touch of salt red wine vinegar 1t extra virgin olive oil 3T

For the tomato-and-onion salad: ripe red tomatoes 2, halved and thinly sliced red onion 1, halved and thinly sliced dried oregano 1t lemon 1, juiced extra virgin olive oil 1T sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 Combine the ingredients for the spice mix, rub it over the pork fillet and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Make sure your pan is hot before you add the oil and the fillet. Brown it all over, then reduce the heat to the minimum. Continue cooking for about 8–10 minutes until it feels quite firm to the touch. I like having this slightly pink, but not underdone. When the fillet is ready, remove from the heat and let it rest for at least 10 minutes. Slice thinly. 2 Squeeze the salted cucumber to get rid of the excess water and place in a bowl together with all the other tzatziki ingredients.

Stir, check the seasoning and put to one side. 3 Quickly make the tomato salad by mixing everything in a bowl. Check the seasoning. Serve by putting slices of pork, accompanied by some tzatziki and tomato salad on a flat plate.

CARB-CONSCIOUS, FAT-CONSCIOUS, WHEAT- AND GLUTEN-FREE

WINE: Woolworths Pinot Grigio